Dirt on Dirt - Marlar lights Firecracker with Thursday victory

June 23

Lernerville Speedway,

Sarver, PA

Sanction: Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series - $6,000

Information provided by: Kevin Kovac and staff reports (last updated June 24, 3:27 pm)

Marlar lights Firecracker with Thursday victory

Mike Marlar
Brandon Overton
Earl Pearson Jr.
Brandon Sheppard
Tyler Erb
Jonathan Davenport
Mark Whitener
Tim McCreadie
Ashton Winger
Garrett Alberson
Ricky Thornton Jr.
Hudson O'Neal
Michael Norris
Chris Ferguson
Scott Bloomquist
Daulton Wilson
Rick Eckert
Jimmy Owens
Matt Lux
Colton Flinner
Daryl Charlier
Drake Troutman
Chub Frank
John Garvin Jr.

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Ryan Niederlander

Mike Marlar enjoys victory with his wife, Stacy, and Lernerville's race queens.

What won the race: Kicking off the Firecracker 100 weekend in fine fashion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., grabbed the lead from Ashton Winger on lap four and never looked back en route to capturing Thursday night’s 30-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series preliminary feature at Lernerville Speedway. He pocketed $6,000 as he captured his first-ever victory at the 4/10-mile oval by 1.063 seconds over defending event winner Brandon Overton, who passed Earl Pearson Jr. for second with four laps remaining.

Quotable: “I kind of figured out what my car needed there, drove around a couple issues I was having and got them off my back a little bit,” Marlar said. “It’s real tough competition so you can’t be messing around long out there or they’ll pass you.”

Key notes: A seven-time Firecracker 100 feature starter with a top finish of second in 2017 and 18, Marlar recorded his 16th career Lucas Oil Series triumph. It was his first since last September’s Knoxville Nationals. … Pearson and Overton briefly challenged Marlar following a lap-eight restart before falling behind the eventual winner. … Brandon Sheppard snuck by Tyler Erb on the final circuit to finish fourth. … The race’s lone caution flag flew on lap seven when John Garvin Jr. spun in turn two while running 10th. … A red flag was displayed on lap eight for Chub Frank’s barrel-rolling flips between turns one and two as he ran seventh. His car was taken away on a flatbed but he appeared to be uninjured. … The Firecracker 100 weekend continues Friday with another 30-lap, $6,000-to-win preliminary feature leading into Saturday’s $50,000-to-win finale.

On the move: Tim McCreadie of Watertown, N.Y., started 23rd and finished eighth.

Winner's sponsors: Marlar’s Longhorn Chassis is sponsored by Delk Equipment Sales, Rockets Convenience Plus, Tri-Rivers Enterprise (Mark and Kim Dotson), Auto Parts 4 Less, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Capital Capsigns, VP Racing Fuels, Stanley Best Heating & Aiar, Midwest Sheet Metal and Bilstein.

Points chase: Before Lernerville: 1. Brandon Sheppard (3,100); 2. Tim McCreadie (3,035): 3. Tyler Erb (2,935); 4. Ricky Thornton Jr. (2,880); 5. Earl Pearson Jr. (2,765); 6. Hudson O’Neal (2,660); 7. Ashton Winger (2,570); 8. Garrett Alberson (2,465); 9. Jimmy Owens (2,400); 10. Devin Moran (2,320).

Current weather: Clear, 72°F

Car count: 54

Fast qualifier: Daulton Wilson

Time: 15.291 seconds

Polesitter: Ashton Winger

Heat race winners: Ashton Winger, Earl Pearson Jr., Brandon Overton, Mike Marlar, Tyler Erb, John Garvin Jr.

Consolation race winners: Daulton Wilson, Matt Lux, Daryl Charlier

Next series race: June 24, Lernerville Speedway (Sarver, PA) $6,000

Editor's note: Results and race details are unofficial.

From staff reports

SARVER, Pa. (June 23) — Live updates from Thursday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series-sanctioned Firecracker 100 preliminary program featuring a 30-lap, $6,000-to-win A-main at Lernerville Speedway (results unofficial):

Feature

Kicking off the Firecracker 100 weekend in fine fashion, Mike Marlar of Winfield, Tenn., grabbed the lead from Ashton Winger on lap four and never looked back en route to capturing Thursday night’s 30-lap Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series preliminary feature at Lernerville Speedway. He pocketed $6,000 as he captured his first-ever victory at the 4/10-mile oval by 1.063 seconds over defending event winner Brandon Overton, who passed Earl Pearson Jr. for second with four laps remaining.

Feature lineup

Row 1: Ashton Winger, Mike Marlar
Row 2: Earl Pearson Jr., Tyler Erb
Row 3: Brandon Overton, John Garvin Jr.
Row 4: Mark Whitener, Brandon Sheppard
Row 5: Chub Frank, Hudson O’Neal
Row 6: Garrett Alberson, Scott Bloomquist
Row 7: Jonathan Davenport, Drake Troutman
Row 8: Rick Eckert, Chris Ferguson
Row 9: Michael Norris, Ricky Thornton Jr.
Row 10: Daulton Wilson, Matt Lux
Row 11: Daryl Charlier, Jimmy Owens
Row 12: Tim McCreadie, Colton Flinner

Consolation results

(10 laps; top two transfer)

First consolation finish: Daulton Wilson, Jimmy Owens, Jared Miley, Gregg Satterlee, Ken Schaltenbrand, Alex Ferree, Charles Powell Jr., Dan Stone, Darrell Bossard, Dan Angelicchio, Doug Drown, Todd Bachman.

Second consolation finish: Matt Lux, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Strickler, Ryan Montgomery, Tyler Dietz, Logan Zarin, Levi Yetter, Ross Robinson, Cory Sines, Trevor Collins, Breyton Santee, Joshua Powell.

Third consolation finish: Daryl Charlier, Colton Flinner, Gary Lyle, Mason Zeigler, Tim Vance, Garrett Smith, Joe Petyak, Brenden Smith, Brandon Little, Gale Huey, Spencer Hughes (DNS) Joe Loffredo.

Heat results

(8 laps; top three transfer)

First heat finish: Ashton Winger, Mark Whitener, Jonathan Davenport, Daulton Wilson, Charles Powell Jr., Jared Miley, Gregg Satterlee, Alex Ferree, Dan Angelicchio.

Second heat finish: Earl Pearson Jr., Chub Frank, Rick Eckert, Dan Stone, Jimmy Owens, Doug Drown, Todd Bachman, Darrell Bossard, Ken Schaltenbrand.

Third heat finish: Brandon Overton, Garrett Alberson, Michael Norris, Matt Lux, Tyler Dietz, Levi Yetter, Logan Zarin, Joshua Powell, Ross Robinson.

Fourth heat finish: Mike Marlar, Brandon Sheppard, Drake Troutman, Ryan Montgomery, Tim McCreadie, Kyle Strickler, Trevor Collins, Cory Sines, Breyton Santee.

Fifth heat finish: Tyler Erb, Hudson O’Neal, Chris Ferguson, Daryl Charlier, Gale Huey, Gary Lyle, Spencer Hughes, Joe Petyak, Brandon Little.

Sixth heat finish: John Garvin Jr., Scott Bloomquist, Ricky Thornton Jr., Colton Flinner, Garrett Smith, Mason Zeigler, Tim Vance, Brenden Smith, Joe Loffredo.

Time trials

First group
Daulton Wilson (18D), Fayetteville, N.C., 15.291
Chub Frank (1*), Bear Lake, Pa., 15.298
Brandon Overton (76), Evans, Ga., 15.310
Ashton Winger (89), Hampton, Ga., 15.361
Earl Pearson Jr. (46), Jacksonville, Fla., 15.432
Garrett Alberson (58), Las Cruces, N.M., 15.458
Mark Whitener (58), Middleburg, Fla., 15.512
Rick Eckert (0E), York, Pa., 15.515
Ross Robinson (7R), Georgetown, Del., 15.579
Charles Powell Jr. (94), Brookline, Pa., 15.648
Jimmy Owens (20), Newport, Tenn., 15.680
Logan Zarin (1z), Moon Township, Pa., 15.687
Jonathan Davenport (49), Blairsville, Ga., 15.696
Dan Stone (2d), Thompson, Pa., 15.702
Tyler Dietz (77), Pittsburgh, Pa., 15.714
Gregg Satterlee (22), Indiana, Pa., 15.719
Doug Drown (12d), Wooster, Ohio, 15.730
Levi Yetter (9), Cabot, Pa., 15.773
Alex Ferree (4), Saxonburg, Pa., 15.893
Todd Bachman (66), Natrona Heights, Pa., 15.916
Matt Lux (21L), Franklin, Pa., 15.950
Dan Angelicchio (14), Mt. Pleasant, Pa., 15.971
Darrell Bossard (22B), Centerville, Pa., 15.989
Michael Norris (72), Sarver, Pa., 15.993
Jared Miley (10), Pittsburgh, Pa., 16.318
Ken Schaltenbrand (29S), Sarver, Pa., 16.386
Joshua Powell (11), Sarver, Pa., no time
Second group
Mike Marlar (157), Winfield, Tenn., 15.346
Tyler Erb (1), New Waverly, Texas, 15.397
John Garvin Jr. (J4), Sarver, Pa., 15.462
Brandon Sheppard (1), New Berlin, Ill., 15.463
Spencer Hughes (11H), Meridian, Miss., 15.473
Ricky Thornton Jr. (20rt), Chandler, Ariz., 15.526
Ryan Montgomery (12), Fairmont, W.Va., 15.551
Daryl Charlier (3RK), Bulger, Pa., 15.563
Garrett Smith (10), Eatonton, Ga., 15.592
Drake Troutman (7D), Hyndman, Pa., 15.639
Hudson O’Neal (71), Martinsville, Ind., 15.673
Mason Zeigler (25z), Chalk Hill, Pa., 15.708
Kyle Strickler (8), Mooresville, N.C., 15.771
Chris Ferguson (22), Mount Holly, N.C., 15.772
Scott Bloomquist (0), Mooresburg, Tenn., 15.848
Tim McCreadie (39), Watertown, N.Y., 15.874
Joe Petyak (44P), Gallitzin, Pa., 15.904
Brenden Smith (17SS), Dade City, Fla., 15.997
Trevor Collins (11AC), Seaford, Del., 16.005
Gale Huey (11H), Punxsutawney, Pa., 16.041
Tim Vance (17T), Clover, S.C., 16.235
Cory Sines (25S), Orwell, Ohio, 16.322
Brandon Little (112), Carlisle, Pa., 16.599
Joe Loffredo (9J), Jersey Shore, Pa., 16.705
Breyton Santee (9), Conneaut, Ohio, 16.821
Gary Lyle (10L), Leechburg, Pa., 17.149
Colton Flinner (48), Allison Park, Pa., no time (broke driveshaft)